Classification box



CLASSIFICATION BOX Filed Aug. 17 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 1 1924.

R. A. MURRAY ET Al.

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July 1, 1924. 1,499,838

` R. A. MURRAY ET AL.

CLASS IFIGATION BOX Filed Aug. 1'? 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNHTED TESMeana are RICHARD A. IdIURRAY AND LOGAN H. HOOPER, O'F MUSKOGEE,OKLAHOMA. l

cLnssIrrcArroN BX.

Application led 'August 17, 1922. Serial No. 582,454.

T0 all 'whom z't may concern:

Be it known that we7 RICHARD A. MURRAY and LOGAN H. Hoornn, citizens ofthe United States7 residing at Muskogee, in the county of Muskogee andState of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inClassification Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in signallingdevices and more particularly to the type known as classiiication boxes7which are designed to be located on the front of a steam locomotive forsignalling passing trains and stations and towers situated along thetracks.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision of adevice of this character which is permanentlyT attached to the forwardend of a locomotive so as to obviate the necessity of the engineer orreman making hazardous climbs to the forward end of the locomotive inorder togive the required signals to passing trains, and waysidestations.

The device is also constructed of metal or any other suitableindestructible material so as to obviate the necessity of renewingsignalling devices from timeto time such as the fabric flags which soonfall into disuse due to their inability to withstand general weatherconditions and constant usage.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a signallingdevice including an illuminated casing which houses a flag of aparticular color which is so arranged with respect to the casing thatwhen the flag of a particular color is projected from the casing to adisplaying position, a light of the same color as the flag will bevisible from the front and one end of the casing.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of asignallingwdevice of this character which includes a plurality ofdifferent colored flags which co-operate with means for simultaneouslydisplaying a light vof the same color as the flag which is arranged indisplaying position.

A further object of the invention 'resides in the provision of a simpleand inexpensive means for displaying the flags and also means forautomatically concealing the flags in a protected position when theirdisplay is no longer required.

Another object -of the invention resides in the provision of apluralityv of different colored movable liags which are normallyconcealed from. view and each of which is provided with a pair oftransparent portions of a color corresponding to that of the Hag so thatwhen both flags are disposed within the casing provided for housing thesame, a safety light will be displayed from the front of the casing. f

Other objects and advantages ofthe in; vention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description andwherein like lnumerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views:- j 'j Figure l is a fragmentary top plan of a steamlocomotive with the invention applied thereto7 Figure 2 is a verticaltransverse section through one of the signal devices,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the flags associated witheachsignal-devlce,

through the signaldevice showing one of the flags arranged in asemi-displaying position, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the' outer end of the signal devicewith one of the flags arranged in displaying position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and wherein for thepurpose of illustration is shown the embodiment of the invention whichis at present preferred, the numeral 6 designates the forward end of asteam locomotive having the usual smoke stack 7 projecting upwardlytherefrom. A signalling device or Classiication -boX 8, which in thepresent instance consists of a rectangular casing, is mounted at theforward end of the locomotive on eachside thereof to project laterallybeyond the boiler as clearly shown in Fig. l. Any suitable means may beused in supporting these boxes on the locomotive. As both bones are ofidentically the same construction, only one of them will be described.

The front of the casing 8 is designated by the numeral 9 and is adaptedto bearranged facing forwardly of the locomotive and is provided with anopening i0 or bulls-eye in the outer upper corner as clearly` seen inFig. 5. This opening is equipped with a transparent llens the color ofordinary glass. One end 12 of the casingr'which is the end arrangedfurtherest fromthe loco- Y Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectionvmotive, is provided vvith a pair of spaced vertical slots 13 and 14 fora purpose which Will be presently described. This end of the casinginits upper rear corner is provided with an opening 15 Which is covered bya transparent element or lens 16. lThe back of the casing consists of ahinged closure 17 Which is imperforate With the exception of anr opening18 in its upper inner corner, which opening is covered by a transparentelement or lens 19 so that a source of light 2O which may be connected,or any other suitable'kind may be seen by the engineer soy that at alltimes he Will be informed Whether or not the casing 8 is properlyilluminated. This source or" light 2O in the present instance consistsofan incandescent light bulb which is situated. at the inner end of thecasingradjacent the top thereof. Aany suitable kind of fastening meansmay be provided for retaining the hinged closure 17 in a closedpositions o as to render the interior of the box or casing 8 weatherproof. H'Anaxle or shaftw21 is extended transversely through the outer lower cornerof the casing 8 and has its opposite ends jour- `n aled inthe front andrear of the casing as bestsee-n Fig. Y2. This axle is preH ventedfromdisplacement by means Qta collar 22 keyed to-` each end of the axleso as to abut the adjacent portions of the casf ing ras shown. A pair ofso called flags 28 and 24 are loosely mountedv in spaced relation on theaxle 21. However, these flags are not flags as the term is ordinarilyunderstood to mean fabric flags, but they consist of velements made ofrigid material such as hard Wood or metal. The flags are paintedAdifferent colors and in the present" instance the flag 23 is WhollyWhite. vvhile flag 24. isA entirely green. Each of the flags has securedto a side thereof a small pinion 25 each of which has an openingtherethrough arranged concentric with the opening in its respective flagand through Which vthe axle 2l passes. Each Vof the flags consists of anL -shaped rigid member having an opening 26 at the juncture of its tivoarms as shown in Fig. 8 for the passage of the axle 2l. A coiled spring27 is provided for each flag and has one end secured toits respective agatl-- jacent the `juncture of the two arms of the: flag?k While theopposite end or" the spring is fastened to the bottom of the casing 8 ata substantial distance 4aiv'ay from the axler2l'so as to normally exerta pull inward of the` outerY end of the casing so as to retain the flagsnormally disposed therein, so that one arm 23a of each flag is rangedhorizontally in the bottom of the casing, While the other arm 28b of theflags are disposed vertically. The arm 2th of each flag is provided Witha transparent element 28 which is of rectangular configraciones urationas shown in the present instance and is the same color as the flag andlits in a out out portion of corresponding configuration extending fromthe free end of the arm to a point adjacent its juncture vvith thec0-acting arin. The edges: of this cut out portion are grooved to retainthe edges ot the transparent element as shown to advantage in Figs. 3and 5. The White transparent element 28 of flagr 23 is provided with acircular portion 29 which is adapted to align with the bulls-eye lO inthe casing when the arm 28 is disposed Wholly`- therein. The arm 28'a'ofeach flag is provided With an opening 30 for the reception of atransparent element 8l which is the same color as the arm with which itisi associated.` its the tivo lia-gs Aare arranged in the` sainehorizontal lane When disposed Within the casing 8, 1t will be seen thatthe transparent elements `28 or" the two flags will be in alignment andlight from the electric bulb 20 Within the casing'ivill shoiv throughthe aligning transparent plates 28 of the tivo flags, and `sincefone otthe transparent portions is green', a green light Will be shoivn throughthe bulls-eye lO'in the Jfroifit of the casing. y i i l The green llag24 has the upper edge of its horizontal arm 28a provided v'vitha rightangularly, extending lens holding portion `32 which adjacent the freeend of the arm 28a is provided with an lopening covered'by a green lensor transparent element 83 which transparent element is adapted to bebrought into alignment with the transparentelement 16 in the end .l2 ofthe casing, When the green flag is moved to a displaying position asshown `in Fig. 5 so that a green light vvvill be visible through theopening l5. "When the green flag is in this position, it ivi-ll beobvious that a transparent element 3l carried by the green flag Will bearranged in alignment with the plain transparent portion 29 of the WhiteHag and also the bulls-eye l() so that a' green'light Will be visiblerthrough the bullsf-eye and through the openingl l5 in the end of thecasing, While the arm 28lu of the green flag Will be projected throughthe'slot 14 to extend outwardly from the end l2 ofthe box or casing.

lfhen the green flag is disposed Wit-hin the casing and the arm 28h01?the White flag is projected from the casing th-e transparent element 8lof the White fla-g Will be aligned ivith the bullseye 10 and a lv'vhitelight 4will be visible therethrough. The lens carrying portion 82 ofthegreen flag beting disposed horizontally belou7 the opening l5 in the endof the casing. White 'light ivill also be projected through thetransparent element 1S. lt- `:vill therefore be obvious that two lights,one in the front of the casing and one in the side thereof Will bevisible at lltll) all times, and the color of these lights willcorrespond with the color of the flag projected from the casing. Whenboth ags are disposed within the casing, ransparent element 28 of thegreen flag 24 will be aligned with the bulls-eye l0 and the transparentelement 29 of the white flag so that a green light will be visiblethrough the bulls-eye in the front of the casing, while a White lightwill be visible through the end l2 of the casing.

For projecting the flags from the casing to a displaying position, arack bar 34 is provided for each flag and is arranged alongside of theflag so that the teeth thereof mesh with those of its respective pinion25. rI`his rack bar is held in engagement with its respective pinion bymeans of a bracket 35 fastened to the bottom of the casing and extendingupwardly so that its upper angular end overlaps the top of the rack baras shown to advantage in Fig. 2. Spacing sleeves 36 are provided on theaxle 2]. to hold one of the brackets 35 spaced from the green flag 24and its coil spring 27, while another one of the sleeves is provided tohold the bracket 35 in upright position and spaced from the rear closure17 of the casing as shown. l A Y In the present instance, each rack bar34 constitutes the stem of a piston hood which is arranged within acylinder 37 carried by the forward end of an air pipe 38 so that airpressure is employed to operate the signals. The rack bars of theclassification boxes extend through the inner ends of their respectiveboxes, and each constitutes the stem of a piston as hereinbeforeexplained. The pipes 38 lead to the cab of the locomotive and airpressure thereto is controlled by the engineer so that by permitting airto enter the cylinders 37, the iiags are caused to be projected and whenair pressure in the pipes is released the coil springs 27 ret-urn theflags back to position within the casing. It will be understood that therack bars of the white flags are controlled independently from those ofthe green flags, and the white flags at the sides of the locomotive maybe simultaneously operated, or one at a time whichever is desired.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference towhat might be considered to be the approved or preferred form of ourinvention. We desire it to be understood that we may make such changesin the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials,dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention what we claim is 1. Asignaling device comprising an illuminated casing having an openingtherein through which light from the casing is projected, a movable flagassociated with the casing and having a pair of transparent portions,one of said transparent portions being adapted to align with the openingin the casing when the iiag is within the casing while the othertransparent portion is adapted to align with the opening when the flagis extended out of the casing to display a light from the openingcorresponding to the color of the flag.

2. A signalling device comprising an illulninated casing having anopening therein a movable signalling arm movable into and out of thecasing, said signalling arm being of a color indicating a certaincondition, and transparent means co-operating with the opening in thecasing for causing a light corresponding in color to that of thesignalling arm to be visible through the opening in the casing when thesignalling arm is arranged in a displaying position.

3. A signallingdevice comprising an illuminated casing having an openingtherein, a signal arm movably associated with the casing, and havingtransparent means to cause a light of a certain color to be projectedthrough the opening in the casing when the arm is arranged in adisplaying position and to cause a dierent light to be visible throughthe opening when the signalling arm is arranged in a non-indicatingposition.

4. A signalling device comprising an illuminated casing having anopening therein, a pair of signal arms movably associated side by sidewithin the casing and having transparent portions adapted for alignmentwith the opening in the casing and with each other whereby differentcolored lights can be exhibited through said opening depending upon therelative position of the signalling arms.

5. A signalling device comprising an illuminated casing having anopening therein, a pair of L-shaped signalling arms movably associatedtherewith, ythe arms of each L-shaped signalling arm being provided withtransparent portions adapted to align with the opening in the casingwhereby di'erent lights are exhibited through the opening in the casingdepending upon the relative positions of the signalling arms.

6. A signalling device comprising an ilY luminated casing having anopening therein through which light from the casing is projected,almovable flag associated with the casing and having a coloredtransparent portion associated therewith and adapted to align with theopening in the casing when the flag is arranged in an indicatingposition.

7. A signalling device comprising an illuminated casing having a slotand an opening in a wall thereof, a flag movably associated with thecasing and adapted to be nor- Iii-ally arranged inside thereofV undbeing pro-y jectzrhle through the said slot, nd said flag hnvii'ig amzingularly disposed portion equipped with a colored transparent elementadapted to be brought in alignment With the opening in the casing whenthe flag is projected through said slot.

8. A signalling device comprising a casing having n slot therein, nsignalling erin pivotally mounted Within the casing and adapted to heprojected through said Slot, a pinion carried hy said larm, and a rackhar movable through the casing and engageable itl Seid pinion forinoving said arm to an eating position.

9 A Signalling device comprising an illuminated casing having openingassociated with a Wall thereof, and u slot in the Wall arranged at rightangles to the wall having the opening, an L-shztped signalling armpivotally mounted within the casing und having a pair of transparentcolored portions, one of which is adapted to align with the opening inone position of the erin While the other is adapted to align with theopening in the other position of the arm.

ln testimony whereof We zitlix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

RCHARD A. MURRAY, LOGAN H. l-OPER. lil/Titnesses BESSE-tn LYON, JULIA A:

